Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa

For one person, living is cheaper in Jarabacoa: $695 a month against $1,094 in Santo Domingo, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$1,094
/mo nomad
Jarabacoa
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$695
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santo Domingo and in Jarabacoa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santo Domingo and in Jarabacoa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Santo Domingo vs $695 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

  • Santo Domingo $1,094
  • Jarabacoa $695

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,144 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

  • Santo Domingo $1,713
  • Jarabacoa $1,144

A family of three spends $2,333 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,593 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

  • Santo Domingo $2,333
  • Jarabacoa $1,593

Santo Domingo costs about 57% more than Jarabacoa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 20% lower, Jarabacoa 49% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.87 DOP 605
$9.89 DOP 606
-0.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.28 DOP 2,957
$48.23 DOP 2,954
0.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.47 DOP 457
$7.36 DOP 451
1.49%
Cappuccino
$2.30 DOP 141
$2.30 DOP 141
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 DOP 64.3
$1.05 DOP 64.4
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 DOP 35.48
$0.57 DOP 35.19
1.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.52 DOP 154
$2.46 DOP 151
2.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 DOP 193
$3.10 DOP 190
1.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 DOP 86.8
$1.40 DOP 85.5
1.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 DOP 93.3
$1.54 DOP 94.0
-1.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 DOP 98.3
$1.60 DOP 98.2
0.63%
Eggs
$2.32 DOP 142
$2.33 DOP 143
-0.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.98 DOP 428
$7.13 DOP 437
-2.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.47 DOP 335
$5.43 DOP 333
0.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.72 DOP 412
$6.47 DOP 396
3.86%
Apples (1kg)
$3.21 DOP 197
$3.23 DOP 198
-0.62%
Banana (1kg)
$0.77 DOP 47.04
$0.79 DOP 48.30
-2.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 DOP 163
$2.66 DOP 163
-0.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.79 DOP 110
$1.85 DOP 114
-3.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 DOP 118
$2.02 DOP 124
-4.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 DOP 137
$2.17 DOP 133
2.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 DOP 60.4
$0.98 DOP 59.9
1.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 DOP 60.0
$0.98 DOP 60.3
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.24 DOP 321
$5.12 DOP 314
2.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.18 DOP 623
$10.08 DOP 617
0.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 DOP 160
$2.62 DOP 160
-0.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 DOP 173
$2.87 DOP 176
-1.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 DOP 36.46
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.31 DOP 999
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 DOP 196
$3.32 DOP 203
-3.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 DOP 137
$2.23 DOP 137
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.63 DOP 345
$5.77 DOP 353
-2.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 DOP 84.3
$1.41 DOP 86.4
-2.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K DOP 1.7M
$29.3K DOP 1.8M
-3.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K DOP 2.1M
$33.7K DOP 2.1M
1.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.0 DOP 5,694
$92.1 DOP 5,642
0.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.34 DOP 1,920
$31.44 DOP 1,925
-0.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.15 DOP 2,214
$35.29 DOP 2,161
2.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.12 DOP 1,783
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.71 DOP 1,452
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.28 DOP 446
$7.32 DOP 448
-0.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$245 DOP 15.0K
$244 DOP 14.9K
0.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,282 DOP 446.0K
$7,179 DOP 439.7K
1.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.14 DOP 2,765
$45.63 DOP 2,794
-1.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.00 DOP 2,817
$46.74 DOP 2,862
-1.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.4 DOP 5,354
$85.1 DOP 5,214
2.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 DOP 7,441
$121 DOP 7,389
0.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$709 DOP 43.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$349 DOP 21.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,408 DOP 86.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 DOP 37.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,462 DOP 150.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,351 DOP 82.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santo Domingo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$587 DOP 35.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.56
13.56
-

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Santo Domingo: October 25, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Santo Domingo
$349
Jarabacoa
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Santo Domingo
$219
Jarabacoa
$219 0% $0
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santo Domingo
$160
Jarabacoa
$159 1% $1.6
Eating Out
Santo Domingo
$154
Jarabacoa
$154 0.4% $0.6
Clothing & Footwear
Santo Domingo
$135
Jarabacoa
$134 0.6% $0.8
Sport & Entertainment
Santo Domingo
$44
Jarabacoa
$15 * 66.5% $29
Getting Around
Santo Domingo
$33
Jarabacoa
$14 * 56.2% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Santo Domingo versus $48 in Jarabacoa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $219 – making Santo Domingo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇴 Santo Domingo
🇩🇴 Jarabacoa
🕒 Local time
18:10 6:10 PM
18:10 6:10 PM
Same time as Santo Domingo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
965,040 Capital
69,855
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to DOP – Dominican Peso Converter

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 61.24 DOP (100 DOP = 1.63 USD). 1 EUR = 68.17 DOP (100 DOP = 1.47 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santo Domingo Jarabacoa 100 km
From you
  • Santo Domingo
  • Jarabacoa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Santo Domingo vs Jarabacoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jarabacoa cheaper than Santo Domingo?
Yes – Santo Domingo is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,641 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,042 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Santo Domingo and in Jarabacoa?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,094 in Santo Domingo and $695 in Jarabacoa. That makes Jarabacoa about 36% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $245 per month in Santo Domingo and $244 in Jarabacoa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Santo Domingo or in Jarabacoa?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Santo Domingo at $1,094. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Santo Domingo or in Jarabacoa?
It depends on your priorities. Santo Domingo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $695 in Jarabacoa to $1,094 in Santo Domingo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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